Rabbi Ronnie Fine

Chabad Lifeline was founded in 1989 by Rabbi Ronnie Fine, then a McGill University Chaplain, who saw firsthand the devastating effects of substance abuse on students and their families.

Chabad Lifeline started with him counselling individuals and it developed into a community and school outreach program where he, his wife Simcha, and volunteers would offer drug awareness and addiction prevention talks to children, teens and young adults.

In 1996, Chabad Lifeline was opened as a counselling and crisis centre for everyone affected by addictions.

Rabbi Fine plays an instrumental role in the agency's fundraising campaigns and the overall vision of the centre.

Rabbi Fine also operates Chabad Queen Mary, a Jewish outreach and education center that holds daily services, and is part of the worldwide network JLI-Jewish Learning Institute. Rabbi Fine and his wife, Simcha, have ten children and many grandchildren.